Immunological Aspects of Experimental Pneumoconiosis

摘要

The purpose of the study was to ascertain what the immunologic responses were of animals as a result of chronic exposure to coal dusts over extended periods of time and to determine what effect the lung reactive antibodies have on the pathogenesis of experimental pneumoconiosis. A group of 200 male CFN-rats was exposed to coal dust aerosols. No evidence of serologic findings appeared until after 9 months of coal mine dust exposure, indicating that a long standing chronic exposure was needed to initiate measurable antilung activity. The authors concluded the rat was a poor animal for the study of any form of pulmonary diseases due to the prevalence of mycoplasma infections; that the mouse appeared to be a better animal for the microbiological and immunological study; that both rats and mice appeared to show the same immunologic abnormalities as humans upon long standing exposure; that the demonstration of cell mediated immunity to a homologous lung antigen in coal mine dust exposed rats was a discovery of fundamental importance; and that the role of secondary infections in coal workers pneumoconiosis should receive further study.